Familiar Ashes
by SecondSilk
Summary: AU from Season two. After loosing her mother and Angel, Buffy moves with Giles and Jenny to Hogsmeade and attends Hogwarts (Harry's sixth year). Stuff happens. Written with Niamh O'Leary.
1. Chapter 1

Familiar Ashes

By: Niamh O'Leary and Rose Williams.

Rating: PG13 – R (for violence)

Genre: Angsty – drama stuff, but some funny bits (includes Fred and George). As well as requisite action.

Summary: AU Season two. After loosing her mother and Angel, Buffy moves to England with Giles and Jenny. Goes to Hogwarts, stuff happens.

Disclaimers: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling et al. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon et al. We are making no money, really.

Author's Notes: Please review. No flames, because Niamh is doing science and knows how to kill people and make it look like an accident. Rose is still writing her other stuff.

Review to: majethrim(at)yahoo.com.au.

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Jenny looked up from her computer in Giles's dining room to see him carrying a tray. The tray held all the necessary implements for his tea and her coffee. He seemed to have taken to the rituals involved in any aspect of normal life since the most recent apocalypse. She didn't blame him.

"How is she, today?" she asked, clearing a space for the tray.

Giles sighed deeply.

"Superficially, I would have to say much better. She's not taking any more stupid risks; technically her fighting is the best it's even been. She's not resorting to those atrocious puns anymore. And she's even calling demons by their proper names. Before it's the sort of change I'd have wished for, but now I just want the old Buffy back. I'd even be prepared to talk about shoes."

Giles rested his head on his arms on the table. Jenny got up to rub his shoulder blades.

"At least she has you. I don't think she would have survived all this if you hadn't been there for her, you're more of a father to her than hers has been."

Jenny paused, kissing Giles on the temple, "Speaking of blood-sucking jerks, has Hank talked to his half-orphaned daughter yet, or is he actually determined to ignore her?"

Giles sneered, "No, Hank has not talked to Buffy yet. I've spoken to him, but all I get is 'Buffy belongs to a part of my life which is dead now,' as if that pun isn't bad enough and, 'I need to self actualise and I can't do that if I'm holding on the driftwood of my past.' Didn't he read the disclaimer on the psych text book? I feel like getting the next bus to Los Angeles to beat him into mincemeat, I would if I could leave Buffy to patrol by herself."

Giles looked up at Jenny with sad, deep eyes. She smiled reassuringly, but didn't say anything. He continued.

"Sometimes she just stares at things, a cushion, a lamp, a packet of mini marshmallows, or that absurd stake. She can't let go, she's trapped in her own world of misery. I don't know how to help her, and she's closer to me than she is to Willow. She hasn't spoken to Xander at all."

Giles looked down towards his brogues, sipping at his tea, savouring the warm taste of it and trying to think of something else.

"That's not surprising," Jenny said, "considering Xander's attitude to killing Angel. And you're her Watcher. Her Slayer's duty is all that is stopping her from suiciding. Think of that week, Rupert. She watched her mother die; she had a nasty argument with a best friend on the eve of an apocalypse. She faced Wetexea, but the cost was Angel's life. The 'absurd' stake is the last connection she has with him. Her father won't speak to her, her friends can't. She doesn't have anything here but you. What are you going to do about it?"

She looked directly at him. She was waiting for him the answer the question that had been plaguing her for the last two weeks.

Giles paused. He refused to think of any option that took him away from Buffy. He stood up, took off his glasses and turned to face Jenny.

"I'm going to do this."

He knelt down, taking an old ring box from his jacket pocket.

"Jennifer Calender, will you do me the great honour of becoming my wife? I cannot promise to be a perfect husband, but I do promise to try."

He flipped the box open to reveal an antique filigree silver ring. The ring was a pattern of wildflowers; each blossom had a different stone for its centre.

"You're asking me now because you know the courts are more likely to grant guardianship to a married couple, aren't you?" Jenny asked wryly.

"Well" Giles said sheepishly, "It was certainly excuse enough to gather my courage. This ring was Grandmother's; I had it sent over from the bank in London last month. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, in nervous anticipation I ask again, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Jenny said simply, but she flung her arms around Giles and hugged him close.

"The only reason I never asked you to marry me, Rupert, was I thought you might like to retain one of the traditionally male roles in our relationship. What happens now?"

"The Council will be able to help with our application. They aren't as interested in Buffy now the line has passed to someone else. Her name's Kendra, I think; they may send her here. Other than that, there is a small village near where I went to school. We'll be able to fit in easily. I think that might be good for Buffy."

 "That's what I was taught; you leave the place of tragedy. I think it will be good for all three of us. So, how does tomorrow sound for you?"

 "What?" Giles asked, perplexed, "tomorrow what?"

 "Tomorrow to get married. You may not have been prepared, but I hacked into the City Hall Registration Centre three weeks ago, so that whenever you finally got the guts to propose I could get you to the altar before you got cold feet or an apocalypse struck. All you have to do is tell Buffy and the others, and we can be married and preparing to leave for the UK in less than a fortnight."

Giles almost choked.

"You know something, Jenny?" he said, when he got his breath back. "If I didn't love you so much, I would be running for cover right about now."

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…

Sixth year had gone well so far, despite the rising threat of Voldemort. The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher seemed to know what she was talking about. Harry, Ron and Hermione had been quite suspicious of the strict woman in their first lesson. By the middle of term they had settled into the rhythm of the class.

"Please, take your seats. Silently. And take out your text books. Can anyone tell the names of any immortal creatures?"

Hermione, of course, put her hand up. But most of the other students did too.

"Mr Finnegan?"

"Vampires, Professor Ryan?"

"Yes. Who can tell me how to kill them?"

"You can stake them, or ah, burn them," Seamus offered.

"Chop their heads off," Lavender added.

"Sunlight and Holy Water," Hermione said, "and they don't like garlic, but it doesn't do much."

Professor Ryan spent half the class discussing Vampires; the laws relating to them, ways and effectiveness of killing them, and the legends surrounding Vampires. Then the class moved on to Phoenixes; how they regenerated, the healing and magical properties of their feathers and tears. And the Griffin's power to command truth from people.

Hermione wasn't nearly as happy as anyone else at the end of class. Although Professor Ryan had been quite strict, and seemed to have an odd habit of looking over her glasses, she had led the class through another interesting discussion.

"But she believes in demons, Ron," Hermione said, yet again. "She accepts things that don't exist. We have laws that deal with Vampires, which, by the way are the same ones that apply to many innocent creatures like House Elves. But the Slayer, really Ron, and the rest of the demon population she fights. And that stupid myth about the first Phoenix. Anyone who's read 'Real Magical Myths' knows that Phoenixes and Griffins evolved from the same species when…"

"Hermione, please, we've got Potions next, I need to stiffen my resolve," Harry said.

Professor McGonnegal had kept her word in helping Harry prepare for Auror training when he finished school. It meant that he had to continue potions, but she'd given him a list of helpful texts over the holidays. The Order hadn't let him in on any of their plans. The books had relieved the boredom of the Dursleys and Harry was feeling almost prepared to face Snape.

But only almost. The damp air in the dungeons wasn't helping. It had the same effect on his friends, but they simply shifted the topic of their argument.

"Didn't worry about his results?" Ron hissed, "Slimy git, just because Witch Weekly voted him sexiest wizard alive."

"We are nothing more than good friends! All we do is send owls to each other. And if you don't like it you can take the mangy quill of yours and-"

"Be quiet you two," hissed Harry, as Ron and Hermione's argument started to heat up. "Snape's coming, and I'd like to go ten minutes of Potions without losing some house points."

A hush covered the room as Professor Snape appeared from his entrance.

"You are going to be making, or attempting to make a Dreamless Sleep potion, today. As this is now your sixth year and you have all somehow managed to wriggle your way into this class, we will be working more through the theory of potion making. What are the elements you would need to combine to make a Dreamless Sleep potion? Weasley?"

"Ah, Sleep?" Ron asked.

"Very good. You managed to think of the most obvious and simple of the elements, Weasley, a trait which will serve you well."

There was a slight pause as the students realised that that wasn't entirely meant as an insult.

"Any others?" Snape asked.

No one said anything.

"Miss Granger," he said, tiredly, "Please tell the class the element that distinguishes a Dreamless sleep potion from an ordinary one."

"The potion for Dreamless Sleep includes an element of mind control. Commonly associated with the plant Lethe's Bramble, which is used in many forgetting spells."

"Does it also stop you being a pompous know-it-all?" Malfoy asked from his side of the room.

The four other Slytherins who had been accepted into the class sniggered. A couple of the other the students did too. But none of the Gryffindors. Harry had been pleased to see that neither Crabbe nor Goyle were there.

Snape, for the first time Harry could remember, glowered at Malfoy.

"There will be silence in this classroom except to answer my particular questions," Snape said very quietly.

Ron swallowed and gripped his wand.

"The ingredients and the method are written up on the board. If there are things you do not understand, you may ask me."

Snape sat at his desk at the front of the classroom and smiled at them.

Everyone laid out their ingredients as quickly and quietly as they could.

Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Hey, there's something the Mudblood doesn't know," Malfoy said with false surprise. His companions giggled.

"Five points from Slytherin!" Snape roared. "I distinctly heard myself say silence, Mister Malfoy."

The blood left Malfoy's face; he appeared translucent. No one moved.

"Your question, Miss Granger?" Snape asked, in his normal voice.

"H- how will you be marking our potions, Professor?"

"An astute question, Miss Granger. I will drink one potion a night and write down how I feel in the morning. And do not think that you will be able to use this opportunity to poison me. Start, now!"

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Harry went straight to Dumbledore's office as soon as he was able to; he had been requested to appear with any strange information. Luckily Harry did not have to repeat an endless litany of confectionary in an attempt to get admittance any more, as Dumbledore had given Harry the passwords so he could get in for his Occlumency lessons.

Once inside Harry went straight to Dumbledore's desk and began.

"Professor, I think that either something is terribly wrong with Professor Snape, or someone is impersonating him." Harry said in one quick burst.

"I take it from your statement Harry that Professor Snape is acting in an unusual manner? Could you elaborate on this for me?" Dumbledore removed his spectacles and peered intently at Harry.

Harry shuffled slightly.

"Ah, he didn't pick on us today, sir. He didn't tell Hermione off for knowing the right answers; he even specifically asked her questions. He didn't do the looming thing he does. I think Neville may have gotten through it. And he took five points off Malfoy for talking."

"Are you protesting that, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling.

"No, no, sir. But, ah, it is unusual. And he isn't sleeping well. He's going to drink the Dreamless Sleep potions we made today."

Dumbledore breathed deeply.

"Yes, Harry. Thank you for bringing the matter to my attention. I'm sure we'll get your potions master back to his old self soon. I advise, though, that you get back to the common room before Mr Weasley and Miss Granger raise alarm as to your whereabouts."

Harry gladly raced off into the passageway, glad the responsibility of his suspicions had shifted. He had learnt since the previous year.

After Harry had left Dumbledore quickly walked over to the fireplace and put his head in it, scattering a handful of powder.

"Severus, my office, now, please, it's important." Dumbledore quickly removed his head from the flames, not giving the startled Snape any time to formulate an excuse.

A short while later Snape appeared at the entrance to Dumbledore's circular office. His face was bleak, even for him; his usually sarcastic expression was replaced by one so blank that he was hardly recognisable as himself. Dumbledore sat behind his desk, fingers laced, peering intently at Snape over his half moon glasses.

"Severus, I have always respected your privacy as much as I could, given the circumstances, but I fear I am going to have to intrude." Dumbledore paused, watching as Snape further composed himself. "It has come to my attention that you have recently been acting somewhat out of character. Now I see you for myself, I must ask if something has happened to that which you protect. It is the only thing I am aware of that could cause such a drastic change in your demeanour."

"The Fidelius charm has broken; there is only one way that could have happened." Snape said, not looking Dumbledore in the eye. "Not only that but at the same time my Signali potion stopped glowing. There's no point any more, Albus, nothing."

"Nothing, Severus?" queried Dumbledore.

Snape could see the Headmaster peering intently at him, through his tears.

"I believe you once mentioned to me another aspect to your spells. Now that they are no longer in effective, I would be honoured, Severus, if you would allow me to take care of those details for you. You understand what I am referring to?"

Snape looked up, his eyes widening slightly. "To be honest, Headmaster, I had forgotten. I would be honoured for you to take charge. But are you sure you know what you are doing? There are some rather unusual aspects to this matter, if you remember my saying so. I would not want it to eat too far into your time."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I know what I am taking on, Severus, and I rather think that we may benefit, in the end. Now that that has been taken care of, I suggest you get back to whatever you were doing when I interrupted you. Also, try to be a bit more like your old self, hard as it may be; your almost scrupulously fair behaviour during classes today has some of your more discerning students rather worried."

Snape smiled grimly as he got out of his chair. "I'll try, but I don't think I'll be very successful. After all that has happened, it just takes too much effort to pretend."

He stood, and swept out of the room, to try the first of the Dreamless Sleep potions that had been prepared earlier.

Dumbledore sighed as Snape left. He had been a great asset to their cause and if he was faltering… Dumbledore knew he would have to deal with that as well as everything else. But first he had to begin business on another front.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers, etc, see part one.

Authors' Notes: Thanks for the great reviews. Chapter updates are going to be a bit sporadic, but we'll try for every two weeks, and at least once a month. It depends a lot on Real Life.

Re 'ships: This is not a particularly 'shippy story. The 'ships we have won't play a big part but they are:

Ron/ Hermione, George/ Buffy, Fred/ Angelina, and, of course, Jenny/ Giles, plus possible others. (Remus/ Tonks)

We will be looking at Harry and Buffy's friendship, but it's nothing more than that.

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"Buffy, Jenny and I have something we want to discuss with you."

Buffy looked up from the axe she was sharpening with a whet blade and stared passively at Giles and Jenny. She took in their jubilant, yet nervous faces, their clasped hands, and the ring on Jenny's left hand.

"Congratulations, both of you." Buffy paused briefly before continuing in the same calm tone. "I hope you will be very happy."

Buffy bent her head and continued sharpening.

"Er, what? How did you know?" asked Giles looking around, confused, until his gaze landed on the ring Jenny was waving in front of him. "Oh, right. Well, you're the first to be in on our nuptial plans, but that wasn't all we wanted to talk to you about, Buffy.

"Jenny and I would like to become your legal guardians. With the situation as it is with your father — ouch" Giles stopped talking as Jenny elbowed him in the ribs.

"What Rupert was trying to say was, the two of us would be honoured if you would allow us to take care of you for the next few years. We know you can manage in any set of circumstances, but we want you to have the best possible opportunities."

Buffy looked up again, staring directly at Giles. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Giles looked at Jenny before gathering his courage. "Yes, there is. We thought that, because so much had happened here in Sunnydale, for all of us, that we would … move."

"What about the Hellmouth? And the house and furniture? What is going to happen to everything?"

"We thought we would let the house, and put the money in a savings account for you. The furniture could go into storage, except for a few items if you wanted to take them with you. As for the Hellmouth, your death in May Called another Slayer. You're not the only Vampire Slayer anymore. The Council considers Kendra the active Slayer. It is likely she will be relocated here.

"I did offer her the use of most of our weapons," he added, apologetically, "as she has yet to acquire many of her own. And we won't be able to take them with us."

Buffy went back to sharpening her axe. "Fine," she nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Don't you want to know where we are going, Buffy?"

"It doesn't matter; one place is as good as any other."

They were suddenly interrupted by a tapping sound at the window. Giles and Jenny jolted when they saw a barn owl tapping at the window. There was a scroll tied to its leg.

"Rupert, is that what I think it is?" asked Jenny, eyeing the bird warily.

"If you think it is an owl carrying mail, then yes. I wonder who it's from. I haven't had mail from anyone in so long," replied Giles as he hurried over to the window, opening the sash so the bird could get in.

The owl flew through the open window to the table and stuck its leg out so Giles could remove the letter. Then it flew over to Buffy, perching on the shoulder of her black leather jacket. She let it sip from her glass of orange juice, stroking its feathers. Meanwhile, Jenny and Giles were reading their mail. Slightly bemused, they turned to face Buffy, still busy with the owl.

"It looks like our plans are going to have to change slightly. Buffy, you have been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," said Giles. "I went there myself; Ravenclaw. It is a boarding school. But we'll be living just a couple of miles away, in the village."

 "I don't mind," Buffy replied without looking up from the owl who was twittering in her ear, "but shouldn't you go and answer it?"

"Oh, of course" Giles said. He left the room muttering about where his quills were. As he closed the door behind him, Buffy looked up to Jenny, a hard look on her face. Jenny realised that this was the first time they had ever been alone together.

"You sent him to die in my place," Buffy said.

"How can you know that?" asked Jenny, anguish on her face.

"Giles may be able to lie to me but the only way Angel could keep something from me is to avoid me, he couldn't do that when rescuing me. Besides, he didn't want me to blame myself."

"He did choose, you know; we didn't force him to do it."

"I know, and I haven't killed you for it. I just wanted you to know that I know. You make Giles happy and I could love you for that. But you sent someone I love to die. I don't hate you, and one day I may forgive you, but I won't forget it."

Giles returned before Jenny could say anything in response. Buffy's face was blank as she looked up at him, the quiet rage carefully hidden -- and Jenny had thought that Buffy couldn't hide her feelings. Giles didn't notice. He was holding a scroll of parchment and an old quill, beaming as he entered the room.

"I actually found my old quill in the library; I must have been using it as a bookmark last time I got my old school books out."

At his entry, the owl flew over to him holding out his leg to Giles, Giles deftly fastened the note to his leg, and the bird launched itself out the window.

"Well, ah, that's done, now," Giles said distractedly. "Would anyone like some tea before we call Willow and Xander and tell them of our news?"

… … …

Los Angeles Airport was always crowded. It might have been 3am but it was still a crowded, bustling mass of people trying to catch flights, recover luggage, and buy more duty free products than they were entitled to. In the middle of a departure lounge one redhead was desperately clinging to an almost unresponsive blonde. Suddenly the redhead let go and the blonde offered a handkerchief from a pocket of her overlarge leather jacket.

"I'll always be there for you, Willow, just not on the same continent."

"Well, at least until Christmas, then you will have to put up with me."

"Um, Willow, I seem to be missing something here. I thought you knew I was going to England for good."

Willow giggled nervously; glad to hear a remnant of the old Buffy present. "Yeah, well my parents felt that I should stop wasting my time and should get decent education for once. They decided it was time I took up Oxford on their offer. I can start at Hilary term."

"Willow, you're only fifteen."

"I know. That's why my parents have decided I should board with Giles during the breaks. I may be responsible enough to go to one of the most respected universities in the world, but I still have to be looked after some of the time."

There was a pause before Buffy replied.

"Oh, well, I'll see you at Christmas then. We better go now, our flight is boarding, and Giles will probably need some help getting our luggage into overhead. We may have left the weapons and most of the books for the new Slayer and her Watcher, but Giles had a few "Special Texts" he couldn't do without."

She was making an effort to be less pensive and withdrawn and Willow gave a small grin in understanding of Giles's behaviour. But then she frowned.

"Xander didn't really mean what he said, you know, before. He was just upset and didn't know how to show it. He would really like it if the two of you could make up."

"Willow, he said I was better of with the love of my life dead from excruciating injuries. He bled out as I held him. Xander had obviously thought about it. You can't say things like that without meaning it. I can't forget what happened and I can't forget what he said. Besides he'll be busy with the new Slayer for a while, apparently he plans to get involved in training."

Willow held back as she watched her friend walk towards the plane entrance, not caring that she was leaving everything familiar behind her.

… … …

After a 22 hour plane trip, and a frantic struggle with an irate taxi driver over the shortest way to get to their location, Jennifer Giles looked at the cosy main room of Leaky Cauldron the way an insomniac looks at six shots of extra strong espresso. All she wanted to do was settle into her room and sleep until her internal clock was back in sync. Her husband on the other hand was all but bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Jenny decided to accept the inevitable.

"Rupert, I feel like having a small nap. I was wondering if you and Buffy would see to the supplies we're going to need."

Giles's eyes lit up like a hopeful puppy's. "Really? I mean, I would be happy to stay with you."

Jenny gave a wry smile. "We both know that the only thing you want to do at the moment is search for replacements to all the books you left behind. This way you'll get some of our mundane chores done as well." Jenny pause, turning to face Buffy. "You could rest with me if you would rather. You don't have to trawl through old magic book shops with Giles if you're too tired."

Buffy answered Jenny without halting her probing and cautious scan of the bar. "It's fine. I need to get some weapons anyway. All I have is my stake. I feel vulnerable without a sharply edged weapon on hand."

Jenny smiled in understanding. "I'll see you in our rooms in around six o'clock? We can go and have a meal together afterwards." Jenny said before setting off up the stairs, the lure of a soft bed drawing her on.

After she had vanished from sight, Giles turned to Buffy. "We can get everything we might need in or near Diagon Alley, but I'll need to get money out of the Wizarding Bank first."

Buffy nodded absently. Giles lead her, silently, outside, through the archway, up the steps into Gringotts. Buffy was, by then, not surprised by the fact that there were goblins in charge of the money. Or the fact that, once Giles had finished talking to the bank teller, they had little train carts to ride in.

The cart they were riding came to a jarring stop outside a vault number 387. The goblin who had driven it easily hopped out, the nauseating trip having had no effect on him. Buffy hopped out after him, as unaffected as the goblin. Giles on the other hand had turned a pasty shade of green, and was currently taking slow shallow breaths, trying to raise the courage to move.

"Mister Giles, I was under the impression you wanted to remove some funds from your vault." Their goblin was not in a patient mood.

Giles gathered himself. "I'm fine. I'll be there in just a minute." Giles slowly rose from the cart, easing himself out gingerly. "Has everything been done about the new vault?"

The goblin looked affronted. "Of course. Gringotts has the highest efficiency rate of any bank in the world, Wizarding or no."

Buffy looked from Giles to the goblin and back again, a question sparking a slight fire in her eyes, held back while the vault was being opened. "What new vault? I thought you already had this one Giles," Buffy asked as they entered the vault.

Giles looked over his shoulder at Buffy while bemusedly scooping coins into a pouch. "I thought I told you. The new vault is for you. It will have your allowance and the money from the renting of the house in Sunnydale. This way you won't have to come to Jenny or me if you need to buy something." Giles looked at her expectantly, waiting for some Buffy-like comment about how many shoes she could buy.

"Oh. Good. That will make weapon buying a little easier." Buffy paused, looking around the vault. "Have you got what you need yet Giles?"

"Oh, what?" Giles shook himself out of his reminiscing. "Oh, yes, I suppose we should be on our way now."

When they were all settled on the cart Giles turned pleadingly to the goblin. "Do you think we could go a little slower on the way back? I don't think I could cope if we went at the same speed as before."

The goblin, grinning replied, "One speed only," and was about to fire the cart up when Buffy gripped him by the ears, lifting him into the air.

"We both know there is more than one speed on this piece of junk. Now unless you want to find out what it is like to be used as a braking device I suggest you take us up on the slow speed."

Buffy gently replaced the goblin in his seat, eyeing him sharply. Without a word the goblin fired up the cart, at a speed that while slow by nobody's account, was still nowhere near as fast as their earlier descent.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimers, etc, see part one.

Authors' Notes: This is set part way through an AU season two. So the last episode that actually happened is School Hard, when Spike attacks the Parent Teacher evening.

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They arrived blinking in the daylight-filled outer hall. The vast room was bustling with people in robes, occasionally in pants and shirt, and very many goblins. Buffy followed Giles as he walked slowly over to a counter.

The goblin called them over and Buffy stood half a step behind Giles as he discussed vaults and keys with their bank teller. The transaction ended and the goblin handed over another ornate key to Giles.

They stopped at the bottom of the steps and Giles turned to Buffy.

"Where would you like to go shopping?" Giles asked. "Do you want some new clothes for school? And robes, of course."

Buffy shook her head absently. "No, I have all the clothes I need for slaying, other than that I don't see a point."

Giles just stared at Buffy. This was probably the first time in human history a teenage girl turned down limitless shopping. Everywhere parents were dreaming of such a possibility, and Giles would quite happily empty his entire vault for it to stop.

"Is there a weapons shop here, Giles?" Buffy asked, scanning the brightly coloured shops and shoppers. "I'd like to be carrying something more substantial than a stake."

Giles sighed. Buffy hadn't recovered enough to even accept a funded clothes shopping trip. But he knew where they could find the shops they needed. He led Buffy through the throngs of people outside 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' and what looked like a joke shop.

"Where we're going is not the best part of town," Giles said. "Keep a close watch, try not to hurt anyone. Oh, and that crossbow we had in the Library is worth about fifteen Galleons. And your axe about five."

The laneway they entered was contrastingly dark and empty. Not all the shops were open and not all the shoppers were human. Past a dingy little shop called 'Borgin and Burkes' there were two shops, side by side with matching blood red curtains; 'Mister Goodle's Bloody Books' and 'Wrought and Blooded'. Giles stopped and Buffy stood next to him.

"I can come in with you and help you look through what they've got," Giles offered.

Buffy shook her head. "I appreciate the thought, but I'll just wait for you there. I know you want to get to the book shop."

She seemed to smile slightly at the familiar thought of the Watcher and the books. Giles hid his excitement and relief, busying himself by taking a handful of little trunks out of his pocket. He threw them at the ground and they appeared as full sized trunks floating about five centimetres off the ground. Buffy took a step back and automatically reached for the inner pocket of the leather jacket, and her stake.

She blinked at the five floating boxes.

"Do I get one for my weapons, Giles, or are you going to buy that many books?"

Giles smiled, appreciating the return of something resembling Buffy humour.

"I'll take three," Giles said, thinking. "And you can have two."

He counted out the trunks and they divided themselves between him and Buffy. Buffy nodded her acceptance of the arrangement and marched into the weapons shop with the trunks trailing her. Giles hoped he'd find the shopkeeper well when he returned.

The inside of the shop was no better lit then the street outside. But the metal gleamed dully. It was laid out like a hardware store, with rows of similar weapons hanging side by side on back boards.

The shopkeeper behind the counter was a man who looked like he could easily use the weapons in his shop. His hair was tied backed with what looked like a whip and his small eyes were constantly looking over the merchandise. He smiled as Buffy entered. Either he thought she was pretty, or that she would know nothing about his business; in other words, a sucker.

Buffy wandered along the aisles, stopping occasionally to take a weapon down to check the balance and put it back. By the second row the weapons were becoming more serious. Buffy passed several long swords and two foils. At the end there was a stand of throwing knives.

The store attendant popped up beside her, holding a sword.

"This sword is one of my best items, just the thing for our more discerning customers." He leered at her slightly. "I'll even let you have it for ten Galleons, which is well below my usual price. What do you say?" He handed Buffy the sword.

Buffy lightly held the sword in her left hand, ignoring the fanciful ornamentation. She peered down its line, bounced it on the tip of her fingers and turned on the man in disgust.

"You are either inept or you are trying to cheat me. This sword is not balanced; the decorations interfere with the manoeuvrability. At most it is worth three galleons, four if it had an edge that could cut more than paper, and then only if the gold in the inlay is real. Now for the rest of my shopping trip, you will not talk to me unless I need information about what I am examining. If I catch you trying to pawn off second rate equipment on me at an inflated price I will seriously hurt you. I intend to spend a lot of money, so I advise you don't get in my way."

The storekeeper, who hadn't given his name, took the sword and backed away, cringing. Buffy turned her back to examine the knives on the back wall. There were several different collections ranging in weight and length. One series of five names sat in their places on the board under a sign which said "Feathered, feather weight throwing knives. For deadly speed and accuracy." Further descriptions claimed that the knives were enchanted so that at a certain throwing speed or distance each blade would sprout tiny wings to help it maintain balance.

Buffy looked at the blades. They seemed perfectly normal, albeit with small etched feathers near the hilt. She looked back down at the two trunks which were trailing her and shrugged. She picked up one of the knives and held in carefully in her hand. It felt nice and it was balanced well for being weighted towards the hilt.

The shopkeeper appeared at her elbow again, with the sword.

"There is a throwing range along the back wall if you would to the try the knives. They are the finest–"

He stopped his selling spiel at a single glance from Buffy. But she nodded her thanks as she collected a second knife and walked towards the back wall. The range was only short with thick padding on the wall at one end, enough to ensure the blades wouldn't be damaged. She launched one knife through the air. It barely touched the padding before stopping and hitting the floor. The shopkeeper smirked.

The second blade was thrown so fast it had barely left Buffy's hand before tiny wings appeared on its side and the blade embedded itself in the padding.

"Cute," Buffy said. "I'll take the whole set."

She turned a slight smile on the shopkeeper who swallowed nervously.

Buffy made her way across the wall of knives, testing weight, sharpness and balance, the shopkeeper trailing nervously behind. By the time she had reached the end of the wall Buffy had accumulated six stiletto style blades in a variety of materials and lengths, along with scabbards; some well balanced throwing knives, sans wings; and several heavy bladed daggers, some with serrations, curved edges or hooks. Buffy's eyes took on a dull gleam when she spied in the corner a selection of throwing stars and naked blades.

Throwing stars would be very useful to carry around every day. Although they wouldn't kill anything nasty, and certainly weren't any good for rescuing people from vampires, they could be hidden easily. Hadn't Giles said something about robes?

There was one set of several mat finished stars in three sizes. They were well balanced and she could get six for two galleons. They went in the trunks with the other weapons she was going to buy and Buffy stepped along the next aisle, to examine the axes. She'd been quite fond of the heavy half bladed axe, and there were several weapons here that might be able to replace it.

She was testing the edge of a heavier half moon blade when a figure loomed behind her. Thinking it was the shopkeeper Buffy swung the blade at him. He caught the handle half a moment before she was going to pull it up. It wasn't the shopkeeper.

The tall, pale, man sneered at her. Dressed in black he reminded her vaguely of the vampire, Spike, who had attacked the school. But he wasn't as interesting, and the menace she could feel from him was cold, rather than hot.

"You need to be careful with heavy blades, little girl," he said.

Buffy stared at him, dumbfounded. The shopkeeper had been an idiot. But Buffy had never met someone this evil who had dismissed her so easily. The man hadn't dismissed her entirely yet. He ran his eyes over her appearance, and in anyone else it would have been considered perving.

"And a Muggle girl at that," he almost spat. "What's happened to your shop, Connelly, that you've let Muggles handle the weapons?"

"She knows what she's on about," came the shopkeeper's voice from the end of the shop. He was still avoiding Buffy, it seemed. She smiled, sweetly.

"You've insulted me twice, now, sir, and I don't even know your name," Buffy said, in coquettish voice. She felt a faint surge of adrenaline as she saw him struggle with the urge to strangle her. Angel had always loved it when people underestimated her. The thrill was drowned way a wave a grief. Only her anger at this creep kept her from collapsing on the floor.

"Lucius Malfoy," he said. He obvious though that the name would have some effect on her.

Buffy shrugged, and held out her hand. "Buffy Summers," she said.

Malfoy's impeccable English upper-class breeding held and he took her hand.

Buffy didn't grip as hard as she could, but Malfoy flinched. She pulled him close.

"See, being polite is not so hard now. I'm not in a good mood today, but I think you should leave me alone even when I am."

Malfoy pulled his hand out of Buffy's gripped and turned on his heel to march back down the aisle. His black cloak and robes swirled behind him. Buffy snorted at the overly dramatic gesture and turned back to the blade. She ran her hand along a couple more, keeping half an ear on the two men at the counter.

She froze when she heard another sneer from Malfoy, "Giles, long time, no see."

"A pleasure, as always, Malfoy," Giles said, blandly.

Buffy walked quietly to the end of the aisle and watched them carefully.

"You've returned to civilisation, from wherever it was you were banished to. I'm surprised they let you back, have you even got a wand now?"

"I heard you got much more than that by the time you finished school, Malfoy. But it is nice to see you found the counter curse to my hex. Narcy almost vomited. How is your old girlfriend?"

"She is my wife," Malfoy said, harshly. "And you? Married a Muggle, how very 'progressive' of you."

Buffy saw the moment when both men realised how far the insults had gone. She braced herself to watch the fight; she wasn't sure she wouldn't kill Malfoy, or injure Giles's pride. Malfoy and Giles took half a step away from each other and drew their wands. Buffy didn't think the fight would end any better for a lack of fist.

The shopkeeper agreed. He was around the counter and had a firm grip on both wands before either of them could mutter a curse.

"Mister Malfoy, it's been a pleasure doing business with you, as always. If you would kindly take you purchases with you and leave. Sir, please put away your wand and I'll consider serving you."

Malfoy pulled his arm out of Connelly's grip and swept of the shop, robes billowing behind him again. The door slammed shut behind him. Connelly turned back to Giles, who was scanning the shop. Buffy took the best axe off the wall and appeared with the trunks behind her.

"How are you?" Giles asked, softly.

Buffy gave him half a smile. He'd ask the question if he hadn't seen her in more than half an hour. She handed the axe over. It was the plainest one in the shop, but the blade was heavy and sharp and the handle was well balanced and smooth. Giles placed in on the counter and help Buffy unload the trunks. He examined each piece as he handed it up to the counter. He was impressed by both the shop's merchandise and Buffy's choices.

"Do you have any crossbows?" Buffy asked.

Connelly motioned to the room behind the counter and turned back to begin the transaction with Giles. He had learnt that the girl could look after herself. But he was still wary of the man who had almost fought with Lucius Malfoy.

The back room of the shop was small and brightly lit. There were rows of crossbows and on the side wall several ornamental and ritualistic blades. Buffy looked at the little descriptive tags on them. One was for killing Kek demons. It also had the notation 'extinct.' Buffy shrugged. Who'd want to pay for special knife that killed things that didn't exist? Still, the Kekfadlorem symbol was interesting.

Next to the Kek knife there was a proudly proclaimed Vorpal and what looked like a bronzed Frisbee. The circle with no middle was familiar. Buffy stared at it a moment before her eyes widened in recognition. She pulled it off the wall and turned it over in her hands.

"I didn't know these were _real_," she said. "Giles, they've got a Chakram blade."

Giles called something non committal from the main area of the shop.

"You know, from Xena? They're brilliant."

Buffy hooked the loop carefully over her shoulder.

She looked along the row of crossbows, trying to find the one that most resembled the one she had in Sunnydale. Crossbows have makers and style like Violins' do, and there was another one that was made in the same way. It was in good condition so Buffy picked it up in one hand. She was considering the idea of having two crossbows when she spied a giant rock in the far corner.

It seemed to be absorbing the light in the room, or doing something else like that. Buffy walked over to it slowly. It was only about two feet wide and three feet high, but seemed to take up more space. And it hadn't been cut smoothly.

Buffy had been staring at the colour of the rock for several seconds before she noticed either the engraving on the front or the blade embedded in the top. The blade looked incongruous, bright red and gleaming silver, wedged in the creamy coloured stone. The writing stopped her for a moment. She read the unfamiliar letters and smiled.

"It is not for you. She alone is allowed to wield it."

Buffy's grin widened when she saw the stake at the end of the weapon's handle. She placed her hand on the handle and the grin vanished. She closed her eyes. The weapon imbued her with as strange sense of acceptance, something like the calm certainty in the beginning of a fight. It didn't offer anything soft, but it was hers. She opened her eyes and carefully released the blade.

Giles was concluding the haggling over the axe when Buffy reappeared to add the Chakram blade and crossbow. He was pleased with crossbow choice; Buffy had been paying more attention to his lectures than he thought. He was intrigued by the Chakram blade.

"Oh, and I want that giant rock with the axe thing in it," Buffy said, nodding to the back room.

The shopkeeper blinked. "Ah, we can't get the scythe out, ma'am. We've tried all the spells we can think off. The Aurors even had a go at it. Really, I couldn't let you take it. It's expensive, but useless. I really only keep it as a show piece."

"What did I say about interfering in my buying choices?"

"Not to," the shopkeeper said, swallowing.

Giles chuckled lightly at the thought of what Buffy had done to the man. But he was concerned by her behaviour.

"Why do you want it?" he asked.

Buffy took his hand and dragged him to look at the rock.

"It's mine," she said, and pointed to the engraving on the front.

Giles struggled for a moment with the Greek letters spelling Latin words then he looked sideways at Buffy. She was paying attention to him so he simply agreed with her and went back to talk to the shopkeeper. They agreed to have most of the weapons sent to their room at the Leaky Cauldron. Buffy kept a couple of the plain throwing knives and the shorter sword with her. The rock and scythe were to be sent to Giles's house in Hogsmead.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers, etc, see part one.

Author's Notes: Sorrow1, this chapter should answer some of your (indeed, valid questions). For anyone else who is concerned, Buffy did not receive an invitation to Hogwarts; Giles received a letter inviting her to Hogwarts.

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**… … …**

"Did you get any good books?" Buffy asked as they walked out of the shop, sans trunks.

"I did find a copy of the Gutenberg demonography in very good condition. Wilmot always said there was one in California, but he could never find the demon who was supposed to have it. They had a good selection of books on vampire Lore."

"I should probably read those," Buffy said.

Giles was pleased with the hint of pouting in her tone.

Buffy was quiet and not paying close attention to the people or shops they were passing. But she did seem a little more comfortable. They pressed through the crowds that hang around Knockturn Alley. Buffy stepped up just in front of Giles. She didn't seem any different, but the crowds parted before them.

Giles hardly noticed that. But he did notice that Buffy seemed calmer and quieter and more reserved than she had been, as well as stronger.

"What did you curse Lucius Malfoy with?" Buffy asked, stepping carefully around the hag offering fingers.

Giles chuckled. "I made it up. I wasn't sure it would work. It took him four days to fix it. I turned all the hair on his body into snot."

"That's disgusting," Buffy said.

"I was fifteen," Giles defended himself.

"I was spending my nights waiting to kill vampires when I was fifteen," Buffy said.

Buffy's tone wasn't as petulant as it used to be. It was a thoughtful consideration of everything being the Slayer had done to her. Giles sighed; they needed to get away from Knockturn Alley.

The main stretch of Diagon Alley was bright and bustling compared to the lane they came out of. Giles lead Buffy surreptitiously out of one alley and across the other to Olivander's.

Buffy looked at the faded curtains and peeling paint suspiciously.

"Is this really where we want be, Giles?"

Giles was surprised by the questions. "It's Olivander's, you'll need a wand."

The shop was empty, musty and quiet. Buffy was expecting at least some sort of haunting music. But she supposed that the shop was actually, really, haunting. The small gnome like shopkeeper appeared without warning and beamed at them.

"Rupert, I didn't expect to ever see you again?" he said. "How is your wand? Rowan wood, very durable. 11 inches, unicorn hair; very good for charms work. You haven't been neglecting it have you? I heard you were mostly Muggle now?"

"Ah, I polished it regularly."

"Miss Summers?" he asked.

Buffy stepped forward. Olivander looked at her and blinked.

"It's been a long time since I've had one of you in my shop," he said.

Giles looked at him sharply. Buffy sighed. Olivander looked mildly embarrassed.

"Please hold out your wand hand," he waved. "And stand on the stool."

Buffy held out her right hand. Olivander's silver measuring tape whipped around her quickly, taking measurements for each finger as well as her height, the length of each leg and arm, and the circumference of her head.

Olivander watched it curiously. He snapped his fingers and it fell to the ground. Olivander busied himself choosing several wands before handing one to Buffy.

"11 inches, heart string of a dragon in holly wood."

Buffy waved the wand as Olivander instructed. Nothing happened. Olivander took it away and replaced it with another.

"14 inches, oak, unicorn hair," also had no effect.

Buffy smiled slightly when he handed her the "Willow wood, 13 inches, phoenix feather."

"Do you like the wand?" he asked.

"I have a friend called Willow," Buffy replied.

Olivander took the wand and replaced it with another, and another, and another, and other, snatching them away without letting her wave them anymore. Eventually it seemed they had gone through almost every wand in the shop. The floor around the stool was piled up with boxes. Almost as high as Buffy's knees.

Olivander peered at Buffy closely.

"You don't have a wand on you, do you? This only happens when people are carrying their first wand on them."

"But she's never even done magic before, she doesn't have a wand."

Buffy clutched the stake in her jacket reflexively. Not on the chance that she would have to fight Olivander, but as reassurance. Olivander held his hand out gently.

"May I?" he asked. "I promise I'll be careful."

Buffy surrendered her stake. Olivander took it gently and ran his fingers over the carvings; willow leaves, a phoenix, a griffin, winged sandals, suns, and a Celtic cross.

"16 inches, Californian Redwood. Beautiful. The carvings, did you do them, yourself?"

Buffy nodded mutely.

"How is it a wand?" Giles asked. "Doesn't it need a magical substance in it?"

"The blood," Olivander murmured.

He closed his eyes and seemed to smell the wood.

"The last blood of vampire, given in willing sacrifice. The vampire with a soul. And the blood of the Slayer. A very potent wand, Miss Summers."

He grasped the wand firmly and waved it sharply. Three chocolate chip cookies appeared on a small plate. Olivander returned the wand to Buffy with a smile and offered his customers a biscuit.

"My wife baked these this morning."

"Ooh, cookies," Giles said. He blushed slightly, "I meant biscuits!"

Buffy patted his shoulder from her height on the stool. She accepted a biscuit, but couldn't step down because of the pile of boxes. Olivander waved his own wand the boxes returned themselves to their places on the shelves.

"Please, dear, wave your wand," he said.

Buffy did, and this time, perfume, lily of the valley, filled the shop. She smiled pensively, and stepped off the stool. She ate her biscuit politely.

"Thank you for letting me handle such a precious wand, Miss Summers. I would hope you would you come to me to purchase a second wand."

He bowed and disappeared again. Buffy blinked after him.

"He disappeared," she said.

"He does that," Giles said.

He was still a little bemused by Olivander's behaviour, as always. The news that the absurd stake Buffy had teased him about was her wand was surprising. But he should have thought of that possibility. He hadn't considered that their relationship was that powerful. He was sure that had something to do with what had happened, and how.

Buffy lead the way out of the dim shop into the still bustling alley. The shop next to Olivander's was selling dragon hide goods. Buffy inspected the window display of boots, sheaths, belts and jackets and pushed the door open. Giles followed.

Buffy seemed to know exactly what questions she needed to ask the sales-witch. Giles wandered around the shop, bemused, inspecting the stitching on the jackets. He kept half an ear on Buffy's conversation, hoping she might ask what the current fashions were. He wasn't sure if the wizarding world had fashion seasons, but if it did, Buffy would have been the first to notice.

Buffy concerns were much more practical.

"How long are they made to last for? … How are the heels attached? … Are there actual nails there? … Does dragon hide stretch? … Can you get this colour polish easily?"

Giles brightened at the last question, it seemed Buffy was at least a little concerned with the way the boots looked. He looked down at his own 'brown' shoes. He'd never cared about the distinction between Vandyke, raw umber and copper beech. Buffy appeared at his elbow a moment later with a small tub of polish.

"Here, this will match the actual colour of your shoes."

Giles took the tub and looked at it. He looked down at his shoes again.

"It's brown," he said.

"Trust me," Buffy said. "It's better than whatever you have been using. You need to look after your shoes."

Buffy went back to the shortlist of the shoes she had chosen and got into another discussion with the assistant about the shape of the heel. She needed shoes that would support her in a fight. But she decided that they would also need to blend in with teenage fashion, there was no reason to look like an outcast from the first day. She'd rather not be noticed then be noticed for the wrong reasons.

After six pairs of shoes – including a dress pair and others specifically for climbing or running, and pair custom lined to be silent when she walked – came a full suit of dragon hide fighting armour. It allowed general ease of movement, while protecting the wearer from heat, most potions, and most wielded blades.

Giles interrupted only when one of the assistants tried to sell Buffy an inconspicuousness cloak. It had inside pockets for almost anything and was especially charmed to suit the shadows.

"Ideal for a circumspect young lady such as yourself," he exclaimed.

"That's a very a respectable price for a garment like that," Giles said. "You could get an Invisibility cloak for not much more."

Buffy's eyes widened as she clicked into the argument.

"You mean I can become invisible without an icky potion or, you know, everyone ignoring me?"

Giles was slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

"Ah, yes," he said.

"My apologies, Mr …"

"Giles, Rupert Giles," Giles said.

He took the proffered hand gingerly. The man gripped it.

"Mr Giles, not Frau Lorelai's son? It's a great honour to meet you."

"Ah, thank you," Giles stammered.

Buffy looked at him curiously. Giles looked a little sheepish.

"You will tell me about it later," Buffy said. "Or I will be forced to go to Jenny."

Giles swallowed, neither was a pleasant prospect. But he was happy to see Buffy determined about something other than slaying. Buffy frowned slightly at how easily she had invoked Jenny. She fingered her wand in the pocket of the jacket. Maybe it would be easier to accept their points of view.

The shop assistant was overly helpful as Buffy tried to pick out sheaths and leg and arm belts. He did, however, know his equipment well and discussed the various qualities of lining materials. Satisfied with her ability to attack and walk away unscathed, Buffy paid for her things and led a relieved Giles out of the shop and away from the enthusiastic shop assistant.

They passed the Owl Emporium on the way to buy potions ingredients. Buffy stopped to watch the hooting birds. One in particular, an elegant, black winged owl, had caught attention. She stopped to stroke its neck through the bars of its cage, cooing gently. Big green eyes met big green eyes.

Giles noticed that she had fallen behind.

"You can stay here and meet the birds while I get the potions ingredients and your cauldron," he said. "It's not very interesting."

Buffy nodded absently, paying more attention to the bird. She was still there a few minutes later when Giles returned empty-handed.

"Were they closed, Giles?" Buffy asked.

"No. They'll send them to the Cauldron. Are you going to buy an owl? They are extremely useful; they can carry messages, and even packages."

The owl hooted as if in agreement. Buffy murmured something to it.

"No," she answered Giles. "The school has owls, don't they? And he deserves to be needed and loved more than they I have the energy for. Maybe, in a few months …"

Giles nodded understandingly. He led Buffy back up the street towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"We need to stop at the book shop," he said.

Buffy snorted. "Giles, not _more_ books. Isn't four boxes enough, even for you?"

"Most of the books we are about to buy are for your education, young lady. And I haven't read any wizarding fiction lately. Now that that idiot Lockhart has been debunked, I feel I can read his work. Apparently he was quite a good writer."

Buffy nodded like she knew who he was talking about. She looked around the street instead and saw a small, quiet looking store called 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes,' with the slogan, 'for the discerning or unsuspecting witch or wizard.'

"I can get something for Xander," Buffy said quietly, ducking through the door.

Giles looked at her, to make sure he had heard her correctly, but she wasn't there. He scanned the crowd quickly. He caught site of the back of Buffy's head going through a doorway into what looked like a joke shop. Xander, of course. He followed her inside without pausing to read the sign.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimers, etc, see part one.

Author's Notes: The only 'pairings' in this fic are Giles/Jenny and Fred/Angelina. There is possible, eventual, George/Buffy attraction and Ron/Hermione attraction, but nothing much.

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The inside of the shop was filled with shelves. Buffy was examining a 'food' section. The thought of turning Xander into a giant canary was amusing and suited the part of her that was still vindictive. She wasn't sure the Skiving Snackboxes would work properly on Xander, not to mention that he _should_ be going to class. The other items probably required a wand to work.

Buffy collected five Canary Creams and five Frog Cakes. She was aware that Giles was behind her again as she made it to the counter. The brief respite from his presence was welcome for the moment, but she couldn't do without the security it offered, at least not yet. Giles didn't expect anything from her; no reaction, or words, or acknowledgement.

Buffy laid the goods out on the empty counter. A red haired young man stuck his head over the counter and grinned at her. She offered a polite smile in return.

"You're Molly Prewett's son." Giles said "You have to be."

He was staring at the young man when another face, which looked just like the first, appeared beside it. Buffy blinked, thinking that it might be some sort of magic trick on Giles when the new face spoke.

"You knew our mum?" he asked.

"We were at school together," Giles said. He sounded puzzled, more than anything else.

"Fred Weasley, at your service," the first one said. "And my brother, and business partner, George."

"How do you do?" the second one said, with an effected accent.

"Rupert Giles, Buffy Summers," Giles said. "Weasley? Arthur Weasley? Molly and Arthur, well, well, I should have just assumed. And you work in this shop?"

Fred and George were quite affronted. It took them a few moments to recover.

"We own the shop," Fred spluttered. "We invented most of this stuff ourselves."

"Including this pretty young woman's purchases," George added.

"I apologise most sincerely," Giles said, matching his tone to theirs. "You're presence merely threw me more for a moment. I should have guessed that Molly Prewett's sons would end up running a place like this. Especially given the pranks she got up to in school."

"Our mum?" George asked.

"Pranks?" Fred echoed.

Giles had become quite nostalgic. He looked around the shop curious.

"There was a time, the corridor to the Hufflepuff common room. I cried for a week. Even Arthur got the joke. Or when she got the Fat Lady to dance the can-can."

Fred and George looked at each other with almost horrified stares.

"But, but, but…" George spluttered.

"She almost killed us when she found out about this stuff."

"She banned us from selling them at school."

"She always said that we could do much better with our lives than run a joke shop."

Buffy looked at the shocked pair of twins and turned back to Giles, still lost in reminiscence.

"Giles, I don't think they knew."

Giles blinked, noticing the boys. "Ah, yes, sorry. You should probably ask your mother about that. Buffy if you're buying…"

He trailed off with obvious embarrassment, "We have to meet Jenny soon."

Buffy smiled in feigned commiseration and handed her collection of goodies over.

"Could I have these, please, George?"

George blinked. People rarely managed to guess their names correctly. But she had been sure. He grinned.

"So, can I have a guarantee that these will be used in an embarrassing way? We can't just sell them to anyone, you know. We have a reputation to maintain."

"Don't worry, I'm using them instead of beating someone up," Buffy said.

"Good to hear."

Buffy paid for the food, and followed Giles out of the shop with a hearty, "see you," from George. Fred sighed and rolled his eyes at his brother. Giles seemed lost in reminiscence as they wandered through the bookshop. They went to collect the Monster Book of Monsters, last, as it said to speak to the shopkeeper. He sighed eloquently and reached for a heavy leather glove.

"I'll do it," Buffy said grimly. The shopkeeper didn't argue, he just opened the cage.

Buffy's hand quickly grabbed one from off another and held it shut. The guy looked shocked.

"I think it helps if they're distracted," Buff said, grinning sheepishly at Giles.

Buffy was also glad that she had Slayer strength, for the sheer number of books Giles had collected for her. She wondered how many students would have liked new arms after buying their books.

It was already ten to six when they emerged, so Giles decided to put off clothes shopping until tomorrow. They returned to the Leaky Cauldron and dumped the stuff in Buffy's room, before heading down to the bar to see if Jenny was there.

Jenny looked up as they came in and grinned. Rupert looked tired, but pleased with himself. Buffy looked pleased, and annoyed at her Watcher. It was nice to see them as comfortable as they used to be, to an extent. Although Buffy wasn't complaining about not being able to buy a particular pair of shoes. Unless she had been able to buy them; Giles was being a bit more conciliatory than usual.

Jenny kissed Giles in greeting, and smiled at Buffy, who smiled in response, if weakly.

"How did you go?" she asked.

Giles proceeded to give Jenny brief run down of their day, and asked how she was. Buffy found a stood at the bar and examined the rows of chips.

"'Hedgehog,' Giles?" she asked. "Do they mean the chocolate or the animal?"

Giles looked where she was pointing.

"They still have those here, good Lord. No one could really tell."

Buffy wrinkled her nose in disgust and ordered a packet of peanuts. Giles ordered half a pint of Speckled Hen, which earned him an odd look from the Bartender, but not as odd as Jenny's orange juice.

"I met an old school friend of yours," Jenny said, "Arthur Weasley? He was very interested in how airports worked."

Giles chuckled. "That does sound like Arthur. How is he?"

"Good. He and his wife are in town visiting two of their sons, they work near here, apparently."

"We just met them," Giles said. "They run a joke shop."

"Fred and George?" Buffy asked.

Giles nodded. Buffy went back to her peanuts, thinking that it might be nice to see the twins again. Apparently she was going to, because Jenny and Arthur had arranged to meet for dinner the following evening.

Buffy thought that it was just as well they were going to be buying appropriate clothes tomorrow, because she would hate to embarrass Giles. But she also wondered how good she would look in the full length robes everyone seemed to wear. Buffy was silent all through dinner, claiming tiredness. But in fact she was feeling guilty for trying to convince herself that dressing up to meet the twins shouldn't be making her feel guilty. And that was making her tired.

Jenny came with them to buy robes the next day. Between Giles's own life in the Wizarding world and the occasion polite comment from Jenny, Buffy was able to select a wardrobe of two robes she liked and three sets of black robes for school.

Giles began to teach her how to use her wand after lunch. They began with charms, which had been his best subject. By the middle of the afternoon she was able to make different coloured sparks and smoke come out of the end of wand. She could light it and make it go dark again, and she could make objects on the far side of the room wobble when she wanted to point them out. It was time to start a real spell.

Buffy was feeling very pleased with herself by the time six o'clock came. She could now make a feather float around the room wherever she wanted.

The day had gone rather well. Jenny had arranged things with the estate agents about the house and Dumbledore had owled Giles about meeting him for tea the following week. Apart from turning 'owl' into a verb, Buffy was feeling good.

She disappeared into her room for half an hour to change, wash her face and think about Angel.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimers, etc, see part one.

Authors' Notes: Sorry for the delay in updating, but we've been ill. (And we can only meet once a week to write.)

We can't promise to finish the next chapter soon. But it will include; the house, the twins, computers, Dumbledore, Hagrid, an arm wrestling competition and a pet that even Buffy won't accidentally kill.

**… … …**

Even four Weasleys together were a sight to see. Buffy could see how Giles had recognised their mother in the twins. Molly Weasley looked just everyone's mother should. But there was more to her than that.

She pecked Giles on the cheek in greeting, raised a teasing eyebrow when he introduced Jenny as 'my wife,' and a speculative one when she was introduced to Buffy. Buffy had not joined the melee, and was instead standing back a little watching quietly. Molly was just about to go over to her when Fred and George pounced on her, demanding to know about any Muggle pranks she knew about.

Buffy frowned. She didn't actually very much about pranking people. Incapacitating them, blowing up buildings, those she could do.

"There is this one where superglue a quarter to the pavement and watch people try to pick it up."

"You wouldn't be able to pick it up either, thought would you?" Fred asked.

"You could use a personal sticking charm," George mused.

"Sometimes when tourists came to Sunnydale Xander would pretend that he was deaf and use this really phoney sign language."

Thinking about Xander was not a happy thing to do. Buffy wracked her brain for more examples.

"You can hook an electric cable to a doorknob. But if it worked you might kill someone. You could just heat it up. I saw that in a movie once."

"I think we could come up with a few little devices," George told Fred.

The fresh ideas could always further adapted and developed.

They sat at one end of the table and Giles, Jenny, Molly and Arthur sat at the other. Molly, after watching the interaction between Buffy and the twins, noticed that while the girl seemed to be enjoying herself, she was also somewhat reserved and acted as a calming influence on the twins. Finally giving way to her curiosity as to the 'why' she turned to Jenny.

"Buffy isn't your daughter, is she?" Molly asked, politely.

"No. Her mother died quiet recently. I taught Computer Science, a Muggle class, at her high school, Rupert was the librarian." Jenny paused, "Actually that was only a cover for him. He was there as her Watcher, Buffy's the Slayer."

Molly nodded sympathetically. She knew enough about the Slayer to know that trying to raise one was not a task she wanted.

"How long ago was she Called?" Molly asked, glad that there was something they could talk about.

Jenny related as much of Buffy's story as she felt she could. Steering clear of Vampire boyfriends and absent fathers, Molly still understood that Buffy's current mental state was fragile at best.

"Time is the only thing you can give her," she said.

"I know," Jenny said. "But she's doing better than one else could have, in the circumstances, and it would be an insult to her to make light of anything that has happened."

"She lost her mother, too. I can't image what that's like. You won't be able to take her place."

Rather than being affronted, Jenny welcomed the motherly certainty behind Molly's declaration. She gave a bitter little laugh.

"She's made that perfectly clear."

Molly smiled, again sympathetically, and steered the conversation towards pranks that Giles had pulled when he was at school. But she was watching Buffy interact with the twins, and it seemed the three of them were getting along. George seemed particularly taken with the young blonde. Molly smiled the smile that only mothers of boys can smile.

Buffy had retreated into herself as the list of jokes faded out. George cast around for something to talk about and caught part of the conversation from the other end of the table.

"Hey, Buffy, have you ever heard of the Slayer?"

"Yes. I know one," she said, smiling.

"You mean they're real?" Fred said. "They're supposed to be nine feet tall, and have muscles like wrestlers."

George was watching Buffy very carefully. He recognised the faint gleam in her eye. He echoed her smile with a startled, pleased one of his own. She nodded, just slightly.

"I bet she'd be a killer Chaser," George said. "With the speed and agility. Not to mention the strength. I doubt Marcus would be able to stop a Quaffle thrown at him that hard."

Fred looked at his brother strangely. So did Buffy.

"What's a Quaffle?" she asked.

George looked shocked. Fred looked scandalised.

"But I thought your father was a Wizard," Fred said.

"And yet you don't know about Quidditch?" George said.

"First, he's not my father. Second, I had no idea any of this world existed until a few weeks ago. Third, what's Quidditch?"

Having gotten over their initial shock at her ignorance, Fred and George proceed to tell Buffy all about the positions in Quidditch, the tactics they employed against the different moves other teams made and several stories about Harry's spectacular Snitch catches.

Fred and George were quite capable of keeping a raucous conversation going with just the two of them, even without Percy around to tease. Buffy felt quite comfortable listening to them argue and offering a small comment or question every now and then as she was pulled along by their good spirits.

Buffy felt vaguely pleased with herself by the end of the evening. She had learnt what were, apparently, the most important lessons of the Wizarding world; the snitch is worth an extra 150 points and umpiring is not a safe career move.

But by the time they had finished dessert and Arthur and Giles had run out of stories to tell she was beginning to feel weak. A strange combination of boredom and guilt had settled in her stomach and Buffy just wanted to curl up in bed with Mr Gordo.

She slept well for most of the night, until around two in the morning. The memories of her last moments with Angel haunted her dreams. She could feel his weight in her arms, his blood soaking through her clothes, his icy hand tangled in her hair.

She had woken up tied to a wall in the church Wetexia had claimed three weeks earlier. The chains fastened on her wrists and ankles had been just strong enough to prevent her breaking them. He had seemed amused each time he had come to check on her and found blood.

Wetexia had begun preparing the ritual when Angel arrived, his open shirt revealing arcane symbols inked onto his skin. Buffy had recognised them from Giles's research; they were the symbols about to be painted on her own skin. Angel dropped his bloody sword to run to her side. She knew that this day was going to end badly.

He freed her from the wall, grabbed a sword for her, and they turned to battle Wetexia, together, their movements a dance of attack, parry, retreat, and attack, perfectly in time.

Wetexia was almost dead, but before the final blow fell, he chanted the last line, pierced his wrist with the dagger and threw across the church. In a rush of rage Buffy charged, skewering Wetexia, desperate to stop the ritual before it could be completed. She was too late.

The glowing had started. And by time Buffy had returned to Angel's side the church was filled with light, which came from the symbols painted on the floor and from their partners on Angel's skin. Angel stood beside where they were painted, and looked once at Buffy. She rushed over to him, telling him that they had to leave that place, that Giles would find a way to stop this. That it would be okay. Angel put a finger to her lips. She stopped.

"This is the way," He said.

"No. How can you be sure?"

"Jenny showed it to me."

He leant forward to kiss her gently, and take the stake she was holding, the last weapon she had held on to. Buffy, unwilling to let go, gripped the stake tightly.

"Close your eyes"

Buffy complied; she couldn't refuse the quiet certainly in Angel's voice. Angel kissed her again, for the last time

"I love you." he whispered.

He plunged the stake into his stomach, stepping onto the symbols on the floor. Buffy felt his weight shift and the stake she still gripped move, his blood running down his arm, mingling with her own.

Buffy curled up under his head, supporting him, as his fingers twined in her hair. The light in the room was fading. Buffy bent down to whisper in his ear, "I love you."

The last of the light disappeared leaving darkness and the weight of inevitability. She could feel his weight in her arms, his blood soaking through her clothes, his icy hand tangled in her hair. As his body finally turned to dust, she crumpled into the space he had occupied, still holding the stake that had stabbed him.

Buffy woke up sobbing. She cried herself out, hoping only that she didn't wake Giles, and spent the night staring at the patterns of shadow on the ceiling.

At about eight o'clock Buffy left her room and went downstairs to brave the bar of the Leaky Cauldron. Giles and Jenny were discussing their plans for the next few days over breakfast. Buffy paused at the door to listen to their banter.

"So we agree to getting Giles House opened first. You may know the wizarding world better than I, but moving into a house without preparing it first is like the Emperor leaving Vader to be killed and expecting him to remain loyal."

"Dearest, you know I love you in every way imaginable but, I have absolutely no idea what you just said." Rupert paused to kiss her. "By context I am assuming it is not good. You know I have very little knowledge of Romany History."

Jenny burst out laughing.

"Darth Vader. Rupert, tell me you've seen Star Wars?"

Buffy laughed out loud. Giles looked sheepish, embarrassed, annoyed and bright red. He stuffed half a tomato into his mouth and glared at his plate. Jenny chocked back her laugher. She smiled gently when she saw that Buffy was amused by Giles's plight and not defensive of him.

"Would you like some breakfast, Buffy?" Jenny asked.

Buffy looked at the pile of food on their plates; toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, sausage, and a potato waffle.

"That looks good. Can I have an orange juice, too, please?"

Giles had recovered, slightly, from his acute embarrassment enough to call Tom over to take Buffy's order. He grinned at her through the gaps in his teeth.

"Good to see a lass your age eating properly," he said.

"Slayer metabolism," Buffy confided in Giles as Tom left. "It's one part of the package to be thankful for. What are we going to do today?"

Giles swallowed his mouth full of egg and toast.

"Jenny is organising the house. Apparently owning and running a large and dangerous library isn't experience enough to prepare a house for habitation."

"You're a guy Giles, you just don't have the right chromosomes."

"We should be able to move in for the start of next week," Giles continued, "I thought in the meantime I could teach you some more wand-work."

Buffy's plate of food and glass of drink arrived and she took a sip to fortify herself for the task of eating.

"Sounds fine," she said.

The rest of the week passed in a similar manner. Jenny did most of the work organising the house and their move to England. Giles spent the week tutoring Buffy through the first year curriculum. Charms and Transfiguration were Giles's particular strengths, and Buffy also had little trouble with Defence Against the Dark Arts. They didn't bother with History of Magic, and Buffy was left alone with the Potions texts as Giles claimed he had more than enough to do with the subject. He had passed his NEWTs, and that was the end of it.

In between lessons and filling out forms Buffy was able to explore the wonders of Diagon Alley and the surrounding streets. She bumped into the twins a few times or visited their shop. More often than not it was actually George bumping into her. He was always pleased that she knew that it was him. And she found that she was never displeased to see him. She also spent a lot of time at Florean Fortescue's eating triple chocolate sundaes; the ultimate answer to melancholia.


End file.
